HC Deb 04 August 1913 vol 56 cc1230-2

The following Sub-sections shall be substituted for Sub-section (2) of Section 47 of the Bankruptcy Act, 1883, which relates to the avoidance of settlements:—

(2) Any covenant or contract made by a party to a marriage (hereinafter called the settlor) in consideration of the marriage, either for the future payment of money for the benefit of the settlor's wife or husband, or children, or for the future settlement on or for the settlor's wife or husband or children of property, wherein the settlor had not at the date of the marriage any estate or interest, whether vested or contingent, in possession or remainder, and not being money or property in right of the settlor's wife or husband, shall, if the settlor is adjudged bankrupt and the covenant or contract has not, been executed at the date of the commencement of his bankruptcy, be void against the trustee in bankruptcy, except so far as it enables the persons entitled under the covenant or contract to claim for dividend in the settlor's bankruptcy under or in respect of the covenant or contract, but any such claim to dividend shall be postponed until all claims of the other creditors for valuable consideration in money or money's worth have been satisfied.

"(2A) Any payment of money (not being payment of premiums on a policy of life assurance) or any transfer of property made by the settlor in pursuance of such a covenant or contract as aforesaid shall be void against the trustee in the settlor's bankruptcy, unless the persons to whom the payment or transfer was made, prove, either—

  1. "(a) that the payment or transfer was made more than two years before the date of the commencement of the bankruptcy; or
  2. "(b) that at the date of the payment or transfer the settlor was able to pay all his debts without the aid of the money so paid or the property so transferred; or
  3. "(c) that the payment or transfer was made in pursuance of a covenant or contract to pay or transfer money or property expected to come to the settlor from or on the death of a particular person named in the covenant or contract and was made within three months after the money or property came into the possession or under the control of the settlor:
but, in the event of any such payment or transfer being declared void, the persons to whom it was made shall be entitled to claim for dividend under or in respect of the covenant or contract in like manner as if it had not been executed at the commencement of the bankruptcy."

Amendments made: In Sub-section (2) leave out the words "a party to a marriage," and insert instead thereof the words "any person."

In Sub-section (2) leave out the word "the" ["in consideration of the marriage"] and insert the words "his or her." —[Mr. Cassel.]